Quetzal Therapeutics announced its official launch today with $50 million of committed capital, positioning the newly formed biopharmaceutical company to advance innovative treatments for rare and life-threatening diseases. The Chicago-based company has assembled a multi-asset pipeline focused on addressing urgent unmet medical needs in conditions including Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL) and invasive infections.
Lead Program Targets Rare Blood Cancer
The company's flagship candidate, QTX-2101, represents a novel oral arsenic trioxide therapy for the treatment of APL. The drug is expected to enter Phase III clinical trials by late 2025, supported by encouraging comparative pharmacokinetic data from a Phase 1b trial previously sponsored by Syros Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
APL represents a critical area of unmet medical need, and Quetzal's approach aims to redefine treatment possibilities for patients with this rare form of leukemia. The oral formulation of arsenic trioxide could potentially offer advantages over existing treatment approaches in terms of administration and patient convenience.
Expanding Pipeline in Infectious Diseases
Beyond oncology, Quetzal is developing QTX-2102, a next-generation antifungal and antiparasitic therapy currently in preclinical development. This candidate is designed to improve efficacy while minimizing toxicity, addressing another area of significant medical need in invasive infections.
Experienced Leadership Team
The company is led by CEO and Chairman Usman Ahmed, who brings over two decades of leadership experience in pharmaceuticals and start-up innovation. During his tenure at Nexus Pharmaceuticals, Ahmed led complex transactions, operational improvements, and cost efficiencies in specialty and generic injectables.
"Our team was brought together by a shared conviction: that patients with rare diseases deserve the same urgency and innovation as those with more common conditions," said Ahmed. "Quetzal Therapeutics is built to deliver on that promise with the right science, the right strategy, and the right people."
Dr. Sridhar Desikan serves as Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, bringing 28 years of experience in new chemical entity and generics development. His career spans roles at Novartis Pharmaceuticals, DuPont Pharma, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Dr. Reddy's, and most recently as Chief Scientific Officer at Nexus Pharmaceuticals. Desikan holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and has accreditations from Harvard Medical School's HMX Pro program.
Sara Mathews joins as Vice President of Program Leadership with nearly 15 years of biotech industry experience. She has a proven track record leading novel oncology therapeutics through global clinical programs from IND filing through late-stage development, filing preparation, and commercial launch planning.
Strategic Board Composition
The company's Board of Directors includes Dr. Jonathan Cheng, a physician-scientist and oncology drug development expert who currently serves as Chief Medical Officer at Systimmune. At Systimmune, he leads clinical development of a diverse pipeline including innovative antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and the company's first-in-class EGFR-HER3 bispecific ADC currently in Phase 3 trials.
Additional board members include Aman Ahmed, who brings nearly a decade of pharmaceutical industry experience in sales operations, regulatory compliance, and therapeutic portfolio management; Todd Chermak, R.Ph., Ph.D., a life sciences executive with 30 years of experience who currently serves as Senior Vice President and Global Business Head of Immunology and Proteomics at CellCarta; and Mike Warmuth, who previously spent 30 years at Abbott in various senior executive capacities.
Strategic Partnerships
Quetzal Therapeutics acknowledges the role of Heidrick & Struggles, a premier global leadership advisory firm, in identifying and recruiting Dr. Jonathan Cheng to the company's Board of Directors. The partnership demonstrates the company's commitment to securing highly respected thought leaders to shape its long-term scientific and clinical strategy.
The company's mission centers on the belief that cutting-edge science, guided by proven leadership, can redefine treatment possibilities for patients with rare and life-threatening conditions. With its substantial initial funding and experienced team, Quetzal is positioned to advance its pipeline candidates through critical development milestones in the coming years.
